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236 PARROTS. 11,39-40
9,ii''-a2».
Note.
The two first paragraphs of this article are substantially a quotation from Ling-wai-tai-ta,
Sung-shl', 153,10,16, states that prior to the year 1107 «flne brocade of kingfishers' feathersa
(^. ^ 4;JJ ^^) was included in the list of dress materials presented to officials of certain 5
grades by the Emperor. In 1107 the Emperor forbade it in an Edict in which he said: «The Ancient
Rulers in their governmental measures extended the principle of humanity to plants, trees,
birds and beasts. Now the depriving of living creatures of their life, in order to get their plumage
for a perfectly frivolous purpose, is certainly unworthy of the kindness extended by the
Ancient Rulers to all creatures. "We therefore order the officials to stop the practice on pain of 10
punishment.))
Kingfishers' feather are still largely used in China to make ornaments for the head. They
are still imported from Tongking.
A river called Ku-kiang, flows near Nan-ning-fu in Kuang-tung — which in the Sung
period was called Yung-ch6u-fu. T'u-shu-tsi-ch'6ng, 6,U42. Ling-wai-tai-ta (loc. cit.) reads 15
Yu-kiang (;fc jtC)' ^°^ *^'^ ^® °°® "^ *^^ names of the Nan-ning West River, which quite
close to this city is formed by the two branches 'Left River' and 'Right River' (Yu-kiang).
Hirth, China Review, III, 47—48.
40.
PARROTS m M)-
Ying-um are procured in Chan-ch'Ong where they are found of all colours.
This is the kind of bird which, in the time of the emperor T'ai-tsung of the
T'ang dynasty (A. D. 627—650), was presented to our Court by Huan-
wang. In the Annals they are said to have been able to complain of cold,
for doing which the Emperor gave orders to return them to their home. The 25
country of Huan-wang is the same as Chan-ch'ong.
Jn K'in-ch6u (^ f\\)
both white and red ying-wu are found of the
size of small geese. Birds with plumage covered with dust like the wings
of a butterfly are called «white ying-im» ; those showing deep scarlet colour
with a tail resembling that of a black kite are called «red ying-wm. 30
Note.
The ying-wu is a large parrot; the smaller varieties are called ying-ho (^fe "mj^)-
Kuang-tung-sin-yfl, 20,7, calls a specially clever variety of parrot pa-ko (^)J ^3-) and pa-pa
(^ij ^ij). This last name, which is in common use in Fu-ki^n for small parrots, may be derived
from the Arabic name for parrot babaga, and the last character, Ico, in the two preceding names 35
may perhaps also be traced to that word.
The whole of this article is taken from Ling-wai-tai-ta, Ojio*. P'ing-ch6u-k'o-t'aii, 2,5''
notes that white parrots that could speak were for sale in Canton. Presumably such parrots were
a rarity in China at that time.
The parrots sent to the Emperor T'ai-tsung of the T'ang were of two kinds, of variegated 40
plumage, and white. T'ang-shu, 222C,i*.
20